A Murderous Yarn

I always like to learn something while reading for pleasure, which is why cozies appeal to me so much. The addition of antique cars to the neeedlework in this series was a bonus. I find Betsy a thoroughly likeable, believable amateur sleuth. I am still reading through this series and hate to get caught up. Waiting for another to come out is agonizing.

Two of the things I've most loved for almost as long as I can remember are cars (thanks to my Dad) whether new or old or racing-types, and needlecrafts (thanks to my grandmother.) That latter is one of the reasons why I've greatly enjoyed all the novels by Monica Harris. The former is why I really LOVED this one - A MURDEROUS YARN. There is a great deal of skill involved in combining two very non-traditional and opposite elements such as antique autos and needlecraft, and Ms. Harris has succeeded wonderfully, in my opinion. Of course, first of all, she created the multi-faceted Betsy Devonshire, a transplanted West-coaster who moved back to the Midwest to visit her sister, and re-acquaint herself with the area in which they'd grown up. When her sister is murdered however, Betsy not only inherits the shop and it's employees--her new extended family--but she also discovers resources within herself that she hadn't previously realized were there. In addition, whichever needlecraft is highlighted in the story also contributes to the solution, a very clever bit of business. Being a woman of a 'certain age' brings all sorts of possibilities to a character, and Betsy is absolutely typical of this. More than that, however, Betsy is clever, intelligent, hard-working, likes to think outside-the-box, and isn't at all reluctant to admit that she doesn't know everything. Thanks to her previous escapades, Betsy has become best friends with a local policewoman, Jill Cross. In this story, Lars Larsen (Jill's love) has sold his 'hobby farm' to indulge in yet another hobby--the rather expensive one of owning an original Stanley Steamer, which he puts back together again after a small accident with the previous owner, and prepares to become an active member of the Minnesota Antique Car Club.To her surprise, Betsy discovers she also has a love for these old vehicles, and offers to sponsor Lars and his car, in exchange for being included in the adventures, and adorning the car with a banner proclaiming the name of her shop - 'Crewel World'. She also becomes a volunteer, helping with various aspects of the antique car social world.During the very first run, however, tragedy strikes when one of the old cars, which had been misbehaving badly, catches fire and very nearly incinerates the owner. Or did it? Was it the car, or was it a person who did the dastardly deed? Whichever, the result is the same--Bill Birmingham is dead, and his widow Charlotte has an iron-clad alibi provided by Betsy. While telling us a great deal of antique car--and club--history, Betsy also pursues the truth of the matter, because unsolved puzzles bother her. As an amateur sleuth, Betsy isn't constrained by the legal rules that govern official investigations, and with her unique way of looking at things, she can find solutions that sometimes evade the police. Even the handsome and enigmatic Detective Sergeant Morrie Steffans, who is apparently going to become a regular character in this series. O

I have just discovered--and just finished reading--all 5 books in this series and I have to say it is the best mystery series I have read since the Murder She Wrote books! Monica Ferris' style has me drawn right into the story with her. Once I pick up a book, I can't put it down until I've finished reading it... and I can't wait for the next one! She does a wonderful job setting the stories in the Crewel World shop, always leaving me itching to pick up my latest needlework project again! Please, Monica, keep on writing!!!! I'll be eagerly watching to see what you're going to have Betsy, Jill, Godwin, and the rest of the bunch doing next! Keep up the good work!!!

I picked this series up because I'm a needlewoman, but I keep reading it because I think it's unusually good. I love the characters, which is essential if I'm going to continue a series. One of the things that I like best about Ferris' world is that time passes, people change, etc. She doesn't run plotlines into the ground: problems that occur in one book are eventually resolved a book or two later. Betsy Devonshire, for example, starts off struggling with a difficult landlord, and later ends up discovering the dubious joys of being the landlord. She also passes the commonsense test: she knows when to call the police. I get exasperated with amateur detectives who literally and figuratively keep going down into the cellar looking for an axe murderer. Lastly I enjoy the fact that Betsy isn't involved in a romance although she dates from time to time. Now that's different and refreshing! First book in the series: Crewel World (Needlecraft Mystery).

Betsy Devonshire moved away from California after her divorce seeking solace with her sister who owned a needlepoint shop in Excelsior, Minnesota. When her sister was murdered, Betsy discovered the identity of the perpetrator. She stayed on in Excelsior, owning and operating the Crewel World shop established by her deceased sibling. Betsy has made a place for herself in the community while solving several other homicides. Lars, a local police officer, buys a Stanley Steamer antique automobile, which Betsy agrees to sponsor in the Antique for Run from New London to New Brighton. In an exhibition run that stops at Excelsior, Betsy becomes friendly with Charlotte Harrison. When Charlee's husband Bill is found murdered along the road, she asks Betsy to find the killer. Considering that Betsy never said a word to Bill, she manages to acquit herself quite nicely. A MURDEROUS YARN is a delightful cozy that entertains as well as educates the audience. The heroine is a believable character whose investigations seem totally in character and very authentic though why the widow chooses an amateur sleuth rather than a pro to investigate always lingers in the back of the reader's mind. Monica Ferris is a talented writer who knows how to keep the attention of her fans throughout her latest novel. There is a secondary character that readers will want starring as a delightful private detective in his own series.Harriet Klausner